Dina’s cop costume hasn’t seen its last day just yet. Lauren Ash, who plays the aggressive, no rule-breaker on Superstore, hopes that the sexy outfit comes back in season 3.
Recap: The Cloud 9 employees were in a daze (pick up those chins!) when Dina wore the uniform in season 1. She randomly chose it from a rack, but decided to re-wear it for Halloween again this year.
“When it came time for this season I sent our showrunner Justin Spitzer a text like, ‘Hey! Just curious, what are you thinking about for Dina’s costume?’ And he was like, ‘We haven’t decided yet.’ And I was like, ‘I was thinking maybe, I don’t know, just putting it out there, maybe I should be a cop again,’” Ash, 34, recalls exclusively to Us Weekly. “My rationale was first of all, we’re never going to top it I don’t think. And secondly, it tracks logically for me. That she would be like, ‘Well I have a costume now and that’s the costume I’m going to where every year.’”
But that’s not the only reason why. “If I’m going to be honest, did I want to look hot on television again? Yes I did. Yes I did because I wear those khakis and the polo the rest of the time,” she adds, laughing. “I’m not going to lie and say it was all about the art. I’m a woman.”
In fact, if the show ended tomorrow (please don’t!), Ash would take home the costume. “In whatever state it is at that point. Even if it’s just threads at that point — I’ll take the threads!”
Dina’s daily outfit might be numbered, too. She often walks the aisles in the same khaki pants and blue collar top. And don’t forget the low bun.
“The style thing I’m going to go a hard no on that one,” she says on whether she can relate. “In an upcoming episode we get to see her in a house party-type attire. I’m in khaki pants but it’s like a green khaki. Like a man’s Oxford shoe and just a very subtle Hawaiian shirt. I was like, ‘Oh, I think that’s exactly how she’d dress. Those are like her nice going out clothes.’ I would say that’s exactly where we differ.”
They do have similar personalities, though. “I wish the answer was no, but every so often I catch myself saying things and I’m like, ‘Oh my God, there are more connections between me and Dina then I want to admit.’ I am a rule follower. I think rules are there for a reason. I don’t like breaking them. I was never a rebel or anything like that early on. So I definitely relate to Dina on that level. I’m just not a psycho about it,” she says.
Something else that’s hard for her to admit? Dina is the most annoying character — and her costars Colton Dunn and Nico Santos agree.
“Part of me would want to say Jonah but the truth is that Jonah is so close to Ben Feldman. In theory I would say Jonah but the reality is that Ben Feldman is a delight even though he is all of the things that Jonah is. So that can’t be it,” Ash tells Us. “Part of me does want to say Dina to be honest with you. … But God, is that terrible choosing yourself? I think it is Dina. I’m going to be the third person to choose her! In real life she would drive me crazy.”
Superstore airs Tuesdays on NBC at 9:30 p.m. ET.
